<div id="slider" class="nivoSlider">
    <?php foreach($this->rows as $row){ 
        $link = empty($row->article_link)?"#":"http://".str_replace("http://","",$row->article_link);
    ?>
    <a href="<?=$link?>">
        <img src="<?=$this->baseUrl("images/article/thumb/$row->article_thumb")?>" alt="" title="" />
    </a>
    <?php }?>
</div>